“During the MotoGP race at Motul TT Assen, an accident between №20 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and №41 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) crashed a №20 racer and made contact with №41 on turn 5,” a statement from FIM stewards.
“The FIM MotoGP stewards panel felt that Quartararo was too ambitious in its attempts to overtake A Espargaro. # 20 was unable to complete the move successfully and subsequently crashed, causing contact with # 41 and forcing him to run wide.
“The avoidance action taken by A Espargaro allowed him to avoid the catastrophe and rejoin. However, his race was severely affected. Quartararo received a penalty for a long lap to be served in the MotoGP race of the Monster Energy British Grand Prix.
After finishing all ten previous MotoGP races this season, reigning champion Fabio Quartararo fell twice in 10 dramatic laps at Assen on Sunday. Pecco Bagnaia continued to win the race.
Quartararo described the first incident, a clash with title contender Aleix Espargaro during a failed pass from Phoebe, as a “stupid mistake”.
But he felt lucky to escape the second, nasty peak due to a possible failure to control traction without any broken bones.
“I made a stupid mistake,” Quartararo said of the second-round jump in Espargaro for second place, which led to the Frenchman losing to the front of his Yamaha and crashing into Aprilia.
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“It was not necessary to make such a move [5th] tour, but I will learn from this mistake.
“Peco made a good difference in the first lap, but then Aleix and I managed to catch him,” added Quartararo. “I just saw an opportunity. In the previous lap I saw that I could make a move, now I was a little further and I stopped too hard.
“I thought I would succeed, but I didn’t.
While Espargaro was forced to go through the gravel before starting a remarkable 15th to fourth strike, Quartararo climbed back to last place.
Struggling to match his earlier pace due to possible engine damage, the Frenchman then pulled into the pits for what looked like retirement.
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But after discussions with the Monster Yamaha team, he was sent back.
“I do not know [why]! ” he admitted. “I was basically a tour [down]. I went into boxing because I felt there was a problem, but the team told me to go out again because it might be raining. ”
Quartararo almost paid a very high price for this decision when he was thrown into a brutal peak, at the exit of the same hairpin for turn 5, in the 12th lap.
“I feel happy that something didn’t break after that,” he said before confirming the possible damage to his traction control system from the earlier incident.
“They are looking at the moment, but I am almost certain that the traction control sensor is quite damaged.
“[The bike] he was almost right [when it highsided]so … it [the TC] was damaged. “
The blow left Quartararo with a sore shoulder, “but it’s unfortunate anyway, because it’s all my fault and I could do a much better result than crashing on [5th] tour and then crash again.
“We only broke twice during the whole first part of the season, and now twice for 10 laps, so bad!”
The fact that Quartararo had also become entangled with his closest rival for the title added spice to the first incident, although he was quick to apologize to Aleix.
“It’s a race. You want to fight your opponents, “he said.” Of course, I didn’t do something on purpose, just a stupid mistake.
“Before the race we talked to the team and the strategy would be; if I was the first, try to press. But if I was behind, try not to make mistakes.
“And I did the opposite.”
Quartararo and Espargaro are already separated by 21 points in the World Cup standings and, Quartararo revealed, about 200 meters between their respective homes in Andorra!
“I will hit for two days, but then, of course, you will think about all the previous races in which you did well,” said Quartararo about his feelings for the summer break.
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